


Arthur and Merlin Take On Lord Drumpf

by SpirkTrekker42



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Court Sorcerer Merlin, Established Relationship, F/M, M/M, Magic-Users, Soul Bond, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-09-17 14:46:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9329780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpirkTrekker42/pseuds/SpirkTrekker42
Summary: A series of oneshots where Arthur and Merlin's near-perfect world is turned on its head when Lord Drumpf and Lord Dense are appointed to the Mercian council and find favor with King Bayard.  Will Lord Drumpf make the citizens of Camelot pay for the enchanted wall which keeps out magic-users from entering Mercia?  Will the blaming the magic users for Mercia's problems cause unrest within the kingdom and will that dangerous kind of thinking slowly invade Camelot, even after Arthur and Merlin repealed the law against magic?  Will the persecuted to flee Mercia and seek refuge in Camelot?   Will there be war, or will peace reign amongst the five kingdoms?We'll find out.  O.o





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lord Drumpf and Lord Dense](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Lord+Drumpf+and+Lord+Dense).



> Truth is stranger than fiction. Stay vigilant.

Disclaimer: Merlin is not mine. He is Arthur's.

A/N: This was written in mid 2016, and posted on fanfiction.net I thought that I'd post it here. 

A/N2: I got a little political in the first page O.o. Skip it if you want. After that, it quickly gets to the Merthur h/c.

.~.

Bonus Chapter 17: Lord Drumpf Gives Merlin A Headache

.~.

Merlin had just sat through the most stressful council meeting ever. (The Council of the Round Table included Arthur, the chosen knights, as well as Morgana, Gwen, and Geoffrey of Monmouth, the old scholar.) The topic of the day was concerning a fanatical, famous fop of a man named Lord Drumpf who was gaining power and favor in the neighboring kingdom of Mercia. He supported outlandish policies and clearly wished to divide the people of Mercia for his own gain. His meteoric ascent to power troubled Merlin, who believed the man was dangerously insane.

The latest reports from the border patrols said that King Bayard was beginning to be swayed by the man and his followers, who wanted to outlaw magic and deport all the magic users out of the kingdom. And, after he achieved that goal, he wanted to build an enchanted wall to keep the magic users from coming back into the kingdom. Lord Drumpf had also been making derogatory remarks about women, people with dark skin, and strangely, people who he considered to be fat. Both Merlin and Arthur were concerned that so many of the poor Mercian proletariat were actually backing this man. They decided to do something about it, and Arthur called for a council meeting to deal with the potential future problem.

Arthur started the meeting off by explaining how terrible things could be for Camelot if this man became King Bayard's main advisor. How it would threaten the fragile peace between the five kingdoms. How it would have their neighboring kingdom regress back to the policies of Uther during the Purge. How it could incense the citizens of Mercia to want to go to war with Camelot, who was known for their acceptance of magic users. Then the king opened the floor for opinions on how to protect any Mercian magic user refugees and keep Camelot out of war, should this man gain power.

That was when things started to become stressful. Several older knights who had served under Uther (but agreed with lifting the ban on magic) as well as Geoffrey of Monmouth didn't think that this man would be a problem, that his remarks were comical at worst. They thought the best solution was to ignore him since he had made no move against Camelot. This outraged Sir Gwaine, as well as Arthur's closest knights, Lancelot, Elyan, Percival, and Galahad, who had magic. They all knew that this man was deceptively dangerous and couldn't believe that the older knights hadn't figured that out. Things quickly escalated into a shouting match. Sir Gwaine was an instigator and the older knights and Geoffrey didn't respond well to his taunts. Morgana was no better. Between them both, there was much finger pointing and insults being tossed around the table. No matter how Arthur tried, he couldn't get them to calm down for more than a few minutes at a time.

They did stop squabbling and pay attention when Merlin spoke, as they wished to hear the opinion of the most powerful magic user in the land. Merlin was absolutely convinced that this insane man would make trouble for them, should he find favor with King Bayard. He suggested that they should send envoys to the magical citizens of Mercia, and show them that they weren't alone in this fight. Sir Leon then suggested that they hold peaceful protests at places where Lord Drumpf was scheduled to appear. Arthur agreed with that idea, but cautioned against doing anything else. The last thing they wanted to do was provoke King Bayard. However, if they could remind the people of Mercia that there was no danger in allowing the magic users to continue to live as they were, that they were normally trustworthy members of the community, then perhaps this whole potential fiasco could be avoided.

Arthur dismissed them after that, wanting to go out on a positive note. Morgana headed straight for Merlin, no doubt wanting to continue the conversation about how poorly the magic users were being treated in Mercia. But Gwen noticed and headed her off, gently steering Merlin's apprentice out of the throne room. She knew that Arthur and Merlin needed this time to be alone together. Merlin gave the queen a nod of thanks and jogged after Arthur. They escaped the crowd by running off to the safety of the king's chambers.

Immediately, Merlin cast a silencing spell on the room and magically locked the doors. He didn't want anyone to disturb them, as they had planned on being intimate that night. Arthur really needed that, especially after such a stressful day. To be honest, Merlin did too. Exhausted by the events of the day, both of them flopped on the bed, ignoring their dinners and their bath.

"I've got a headache," Merlin announced.

"Ugh, me too," Arthur groaned. "That meeting was horrible. The only thing that got me through it was thinking of you and what we planned for tonight."

Merlin blushed. He was looking forward to making Arthur feel good, and then Arthur returning the favor. But first things first. "C'mere, let me work on your head," Merlin offered.

"But what about you?" Arthur asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine," Merlin insisted. Merlin pressed his fingers onto Arthur's temples and slowly drew the pain away from the king and into himself. "How are you feeling now?"

"My headache's mostly gone," said Arthur. "Wow! Your magic never fails to amaze me."

"Thanks." Merlin winced. His own headache had only grown. He tried to transmute the pain but for some reason his usual methods weren't working. He gave it a few minutes, but his magic didn't kick in. Then Merlin made a really tough decision. There was just no way he could carry out his original plan, not when he was feeling this badly. "I'm really tired, Arthur," the sorcerer lamented. "I'm sorry but I'm not feeling up to doing anything tonight. I know I promised, but I swear tomorrow I'll make it up to you."

Merlin turned away from Arthur, not wanting to see the king's disappointed reaction. If it had been the other way around, he know he'd be disappointed, especially if he'd been looking forward to it all day. Merlin absolutely hated disappointing Arthur. He felt like he was letting down his king, even if he really did have a horrible headache. Which, by the way, was the most cliched excuse to get out of sex. Sometimes Merlin really hated the irony in his life. The last thing he wanted was to act cliche.

If only he just could convince Arthur to leave him alone, he thought he could ride out the headache on his own.

But Arthur knew Merlin too well by now, as they'd been together so long. He could tell that something was wrong. "Merlin. What's going on?"

"Leave me alone, Arthur. I'm fine. I just need to sleep." Merlin said, trying to fight the pain that kept worsening. He didn't succeed. At all.

"No, you're not fine," the king insisted. "You still have a headache, don't you?"

"Yeah," Merlin admitted, not wanting outright lie to Arthur. He turned back around to face his love. Arthur didn't sound like he was going to drop this. Merlin didn't know whether to be grateful or annoyed.

"Why can't you use your magic to rid yourself of it?" Arthur wanted to know.

"I don't know," was Merlin's plaintive response. "It just usually works itself out. I don't have to consciously do anything - the magic takes care of itself. Maybe I'll get lucky and it will just go away on it's own." The warlock hoped that Arthur would drop it.

But Arthur was not so easily deterred. "How bad is it?"

"Bad," Merlin admitted. His head kept pounding. Everything was magnified - the torchlight, Arthur's voice, and the squeak of the bed as Arthur moved closer.

"Merlin! How could you let this happen? You promised to always put your own needs first, and then worry about mine." Arthur tried not to sound too angry, as he knew it wouldn't help the situation. Merlin's actions were sweet, he supposed, in a way. But they'd been through this, time and again. Arthur was starting to get tired of it.

Guilt welled up in Merlin's stomach. He had indeed promised Arthur to put his own needs first. "I didn't want you to hurt," said Merlin, which was the truth. "I'm sorry, Arthur. I thought I could handle it." The warlock winced again. "Ahh," he moaned, the pain throbbing in his head.

"What can I do?" Arthur said softly. "Can I go get you a potion?"

"Yes," Merlin said gratefully. "That should do the trick."

"Alright. You just sit tight." Arthur got up to head for the physician's quarters. He got as far as the doors, as they wouldn't open. He turned back around in confusion. "Merlin, there's something wrong with the doors."

"Oh, yeah." Merlin gave him a sheepish smile. "I locked them - with magic."

Arthur gave Merlin his patented 'you're an idiot' stare. "Well, unlock them."

Merlin reached out with his magic, but he couldn't actually use it. "I can't. I've used up all of my magical reserves."

"Then I'll call for the guards."

"They're not there," Merlin sighed. "I sent them away for the night since I thought we'd be… yeah. And don't bother shouting - no one will come. I placed a silencing spell on the room for the same reason. I think we're stuck here."

"What I wouldn't give for Morgana's help right now. Could she or one of your students help heal you?" Arthur asked.

"Yes," said Merlin.

"I could climb down the window," Arthur suggested halfheartedly, but he knew Merlin would veto that option, and he did.

"Not an option, not when I don't have my magic to catch you if you slipped," said Merlin.

"Alright, I'll deal with this myself." Arthur vowed to do his best to make Merlin feel better. "Where does it hurt?"

"On the top of my head," Merlin told him. "It might feel better if I get in the bath to relax the muscle. It's probably still warm."

Arthur dipped his fingers in their bath. Merlin was right - it was still warm. "Get in," Arthur ordered.

"Yes, Sire," Merlin said sarcastically. Arthur was relieved that Merlin's sense of humor was still intact. He watched Merlin stripped down. Normally, Arthur would be aroused at the first sign of Merlin's milky skin, but this was different. He was worried about his warlock and he just wanted to make Merlin feel better. He gently helped Merlin into the bath and into a comfortable position where he could recline.

"Could you pour water over my head?" Merlin timidly asked. "I think that would help."

"Of course." Arthur gave him a funny look, wondering why Merlin sounded so apologetic. "I'd do anything to help you, Merlin. You should know that." He quickly fetched a bucket and poured away. He ended up making a bit of a mess on the floor, but Merlin seemed to like it. The warm water, not the mess.

"Is this helping?" Arthur asked, as he continuously dipped the bucket and poured water over his sorcerer's head.

"Yes, a bit," said the warlock. Merlin's eyes were tightly closed and his hands were gripping the sides of the basin.

Arthur had never seen Merlin like this. It unnerved him. He felt powerless, that he wasn't doing enough to help the love of his life. If only he could get a potion - then everything would sort itself. But that wasn't an option right now.

"Can you tell me a story?" Merlin broke the silence. "It would help get my mind off things."

"Alright," Arthur agreed. "Once upon a time, there was a cabbagehead of a young peasant boy who very foolishly approached a handsome prince in the middle of training. But somehow, that idiot boy got the prince to fall madly in love with him..."

Merlin enjoyed Arthur's story about their first meeting, but for some strange reason he was growing hungry. "Arthur, can you get me something to eat?" Merlin hesitantly asked.

"What do you want?"

"Dessert," Merlin said promptly.

Arthur didn't ask why, he just did what Merlin asked. "Here, you can have my dessert and yours." Arthur brought over two chocolate torts. Merlin quickly devoured them.

"Aren't you hungry?" Merlin asked.

"I'll eat later," said Arthur. That wasn't a no. In Arthur-speak, it was an 'I'd rather focus on you, Merlin'. Merlin, in his pain induced haze, was touched by Arthur's response.

"I'll bet this wasn't how you expected to spend tonight, huh?" said Merlin.

"No, but that's alright," said Arthur. "Don't worry about it. It's not like you meant for it to happen."

"I'm-"

"Don't you dare say you're sorry!" Arthur ground out.

"Not so loud," Merlin whimpered.

"Sorry," Arthur whispered.

"Now who's saying they're sorry?" Merlin tried to smile but it came out as a grimace.

By now the water was growing cold.

"I think I want get out now," said Merlin. "It's getting chilly."

Arthur went to grab a towel and gave it to Merlin to dry himself off with. Then the king helped Merlin out of the bath and into his nightclothes. He also used the towel to dry Merlin's hair. His fingers traced Merlin's cheekbones before he placed a kiss on Merlin's brow.

Arthur had to ask. "Does it still hurt?"

"Yes," Merlin admitted.

"What can I do for you?" Arthur inquired.

"You can try rubbing my head," Merlin said.

"On the top?"

"No. Just above right between the eyes on my forehead," said Merlin. "Right where you just kissed me."

"Whatever you need," said Arthur. He gently placed his two forefingers over the middle of Merlin's forehead and pushed in what he hoped was a soothing, circular motion.

"Mmm," Merlin muttered. "Feels good." He lost himself in Arthur's ministrations. He put Drumpf out of his mind, focusing only on Arthur and the pure love he had received that night.

.~.

Arthur guessed that it had been at least an hour before Merlin showed signs of feeling better. He was awake and alert, and his headache had finally rescinded.

"You should eat your dinner," Merlin suggested.

Arthur was in no mood to argue. He tucked into his chicken and vegetables. He was happy to see Merlin do the same. "Do you know why your head hurt in those two particular places?" Arthur wanted to know.

"I have a theory," Merlin said softly. "But it's magical-mumbo jumbo. You've never been interested in-"

"Tell me," Arthur insisted.

"Alright," Merlin sighed, hoping this wasn't a bad idea to give Arthur more ammunition with which to tease him. "Those two spots I mentioned are right where there are, erm, let's call them energy centers. The highest two centers are right above the crown of my head, and on my forehead right above my eyes. There's some debate in the magical community if there are seven or eight total of these but…" Merlin trailed off. "This is boring you."

"No," said Arthur, not completely convincingly. "I just… well I don't understand how it works. And then there's the fact that it doesn't apply to me at all."

Merlin gave him a funny look. "Sure it does. We all have these energy centers. It's just that magic users can feel them if they're open. People without magic usually can't feel it."

"Really." Arthur gave him a doubtful look.

"Yep," said Merlin. "Us magic users, we're not all that different from you."

"If you say so," said Arthur. He and Merlin shared a thoughtful smile. Arthur had his world of sword-fighting, politics, and running the kingdom. Merlin had his world of based in magic, and teaching his students. Sometimes those worlds intersected, and sometimes they did not. But even if Merlin and Arthur didn't always understand where the other one was coming from, they still respected each other. It was one of the many things that made their relationship so strong.

"You were especially attentive to my needs tonight. Thank you," Merlin said shyly.

Arthur frowned. "Are you saying I'm not always attentive to you?"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean, Arthur. Just accept the compliment!"

"Thank you, Merlin," the king said seriously. "I always want to be the one to take care of you. But I can't do this all the time. You were lucky I don't have anything to attend to early tomorrow morning."

"I swear, this rarely happens," Merlin promised. "Next time I feel a really bad headache coming on, I'll go and ask for a potion."

"Good," said Arthur. "I don't want to see you hurting like that again if you can help it. And next time, for the love of God, take care of yourself first!"

"I'll try." Merlin grinned at him, gracing his king with a mischievous smirk as he knew his remark would incense him.

"Argh! Merlin!" Arthur tackled him and started a tickle fight until Merlin promised to look after his own needs first and then worry about Arthur's. This time, when he promised, he meant it. Maybe.

The End

.~.

A/N: Summer 2016 - You know that Drumpf hates magic users, right? I think that's implied in his policies of hate. One more reason not to vote for him. LOL. I called him a 'fanatical famous fop'. He once claimed that "I have the best words". Who has the best words now? And I even used alliteration. *sticks tongue out*

A/N: January 14, 2017. F*ck.


	2. Morgana Has Visions Of Lord Drumpf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin is certain that Lord Drumpf won't get the seat on the Mercian Council. Poor Merlin.

Bonus Chapter 30 – Lord Drumpf Again

.~.

"MERLIN!"

Merlin awoke with a start – immediately recognizing the voice of the man he loved. Arthur was bellowing from the next room. As he jumped out of bed, the sorcerer focused on the sharp tone in his king's voice. Merlin knew that something was seriously wrong, as Arthur never used that voice unless they were in danger.

"Lance, wake up!" Merlin hissed, shaking the sleeping knight.

"What's wrong?" Lancelot leapt out of bed, grabbing for his sword.

As official protectors for Gwen and Arthur respectively, Lancelot and Merlin were sleeping in separate beds in the 'Queen's Chamber'. This adjoining room was attached to the King's Chamber, where Arthur and Gwen slept.

Not bothering to answer him, Merlin burst through the door and skidded to a stop in front of the bed. Morgana was sitting there, shaking and crying her eyes out while Arthur and Gwen tried to get her to calm down.

"Merlin!" Morgana's face lit up for a split second before she dissolved back into incomprehensible muttering.

"Morgana, did you See something?" Merlin asked, gently taking her face in his hands. He thought that would be the most logical reason behind her babbling.

Morgana's eyes caught his and Merlin recognized the fear lurking in them.

"Shhh," Merlin soothed her, placing his hands on her temples in an effort to calm her mind. "Take a deep breath. I need you to breathe with me."

Morgana did. Merlin led her through a quick breathing exercise, which helped.

"Now, tell us what you Saw," Merlin commanded.

Morgana nodded, determined to control her emotions.

"I saw Lord Drumpf gaining the new council seat in Mercia tomorrow." She shuddered. "He was able to gain King Bayard's favor, and to sway the king's decisions in order to benefit himself and his own fear-based policies. By King Bayard's orders, all of the magic users were quickly driven out of the country. They came here, where we gave them amnesty. But then, days later, Mercia mounted a war campaign against magic and against Camelot. We were thrown into war! The last thing I saw was Arthur riding out to meet the Mercians, with Merlin at his side. I don't know any more than that."

"You did great," Merlin promised her, holding his apprentice and friend as he slowly rocked her. "You helped us so much, Morgana. Thank you."

"We'll get on this right away," Arthur vowed.

"But Arthur, not all of her visions come true," Gwen pointed out. "As Merlin says, the future is always in motion."

Morgana squeaked in indignation.

"I know, but we have to be prepared. Morgana, don't worry. I'm taking this vision very seriously." Arthur was already striding out the door and down the hall. Still in his nightclothes, he'd pulled on a leather coat. "Summon the council. Merlin, with me."

"I'll be right there, Arthur," Merlin promised, magicking his usual clothes and shoes on.

"Morgana, I need you to take care of yourself," Merlin instructed. "Take time to center yourself and use the calming spell. Find something to eat. Then meet me at the magic school. I need you functioning as well as you possibly can. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Morgana said, with a fire in her eyes.

"Good." On his way out, the Court Sorcerer ran into Rowan.

"I heard there was trouble, that Morgana Saw something?" Rowan looked worried. Once again, Merlin was amazed how fast news traveled in the castle.

"I'll tell you later," said Merlin, glad that his servant was punctual, something that he hadn't been when he was Arthur's servant. "Spread the word that all of my students are to meet at the magic school as soon as possible. Tell the kitchen staff to send up breakfast for all twelve council members. And for goodness sake, get Arthur some real clothes!"

Merlin's student and servant ran off to do just that.

At the Council of the Round Table meeting, everyone was running on adrenaline. The throne room was buzzing with knights as they tried to digest everything that was happening.

"Let me get this straight," Sir Geraint glared at Merlin, who had delivered the bad news. He was one of the elder knights, who had been appointed by Uther. "We don't actually know if this Lord Drumpf is actually going to influence the Mercian king into going to war with us. It's just a possibility."

"Morgana's dreams have come true before," said Merlin. "But not always. They are not fact. However, we're treating this as a piece of intelligence that may or not come to fruition. I will be readying my students for war."

"There's no need to overreact," said Geraint. "There is no concrete evidence that Mercia is going to war with us."

The entire council exploded in protest. Arthur held up his hand to quiet them, and they did so.

"We're treating this as if it's real," Arthur growled. "My first order is to ready the army at once. Gwaine, go."

"Yes, my king." Gwaine didn't even tease Arthur or call him 'Princess'. "Permission to take Sir Percival."

"Granted." With a wave of his hand, Arthur dismissed them. He knew the 'dream team' were stronger together, and thought it was a good idea of Gwaine's to take Percy with him. The king knew that, of the knights that remained, he had enough to advise him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur saw Lance, Leon, and Elyan shifting in their chairs. He knew that they were itching to follow Gwaine. "I need your expertise here. We need to talk strategy. Then you can go to the training field."

The knights all nodded before they began to discuss how they wanted to handle a Mercian attack.

"Merlin, thoughts?" Arthur asked.

"I think we should prepare to receive any Mercian refugees," the warlock said. "Some could stay at my magic school, but that won't be nearly enough room. We need to ask people in that castle and the lower town to prepare to receive these people."

"Excellent idea," said Arthur.

"Also, I think it would be wise if the cooks prepared simple dishes and the farmers brought a surplus of food to the castle, just in case we need to feed the refugees," Merlin suggested.

"Agreed," said Arthur. He dispatched a servant to carry out these orders. "Anything else?"

Merlin smiled at him. "I'm sure you'll think of everything. Permission to go to my school."

A significant look passed between Arthur and Merlin. Everyone present knew that Merlin didn't need Arthur's permission, that he was asking it as a sign of respect.

"Granted." Arthur's voice sounded a bit like a caress. Merlin hoped no one else had identified the voice inflection for what it was. The court sorcerer left the room, leaving Arthur to it.

Merlin raced to the magic school, relieved to find Morgana and a third of his students already there.

"Lord Merlin, what's happening?" One of his youngest female students asked. "Is it true that we're going to war with Mercia?"

"Just wait a bit longer, until everyone arrives. Then I will explain," Merlin promised.

It didn't take long for the rest of the students to show up. Then Merlin told them the details of Morgana's vision, and updated them on the king's orders.

"So what do we have to do?" Rowan asked.

"We must practice our shielding charms and attacks," Merlin instructed. "Pair off. We're going to run the same drills as we did just before the attack with the dark sorcerers, months ago. Go!"

As their students began to practice, Merlin pulled Morgana aside. "We're doing all we can," he insisted. "Are you feeling better?" He asked.

"Sort of," Morgana said. "I just feel so helpless. Why can't we just go into Mercia and take out Lord Drumpf?"

"That would just incite more violence, and you know it," Merlin reminded her. "We have to let it play out as it should."

Morgana didn't look happy about that, but she agreed that it was best that they didn't interfere. She only hoped that her dark vision didn't come true.

.~.

Later that night, Merlin and Arthur were resting on the king's bed just before it was time for Merlin to go to the adjoining room. Rarely did Arthur allow Merlin to hold him, but when Merlin offered, Arthur didn't turn him down.

"Are we doing all we can?" Arthur worried as Merlin's arms tighened around him.

"I believe so," said Merlin. "We're prepared as much as we can be."

That was when Morgana once again burst into the king's chambers. Merlin and Arthur sat up in alarm, but this time Morgana's face was beaming.

"I had another vision," she explained. "And this time, Lord Drumpf didn't get the council seat. He was driven out of the country by King Bayard and his knights, who finally realized what a danger the man could be to the country's fragile peace."

"That's great news!" Merlin crowed, pulling her into a hug.

"But which one will come true?" Arthur wondered.

"I don't know," said Merlin. "But at least we know there's a positive alternate future possible. Try to get some sleep, Morgana. What happens tomorrow will happen. And we'll face it when it does."

Morgana nodded. "I have a good feeling about this vision, though," she said. The witch bid the lovers goodnight and left the room.

Merlin and Arthur spoke in hushed tones, considering the two visions and what they meant.

When Gwen and Lance arrived, Merlin kissed Arthur goodnight. But when he walked towards the adjoining room, he was flooded with a sense of peace and knowing.

"Arthur," Merlin turned back to his king. "I just felt something."

Arthur knew better than to dismiss Merlin's feelings. "What's that?"

"Lord Drumpf's not going to get the seat on the council."

"How sure are you?" Arthur asked.

"Completely sure." Merlin grinned at Arthur. "No need to worry."

End


	3. Merlin Is Spectacularly Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin's nightmare comes true. Arthur tries to help.

Disclaimer: Merlin is not mine.

A/N: Real life can suck it. I wrote the last chapter the day of the election, before knowing the results. I wrote this the day after, and was depressed for the rest of the day.

.~.

Bonus Chapter 31 – Merlin Is Spectacularly Wrong

.~.

"Ahhhh! Noooooooo!"

Arthur woke with a start as he heard Merlin yelling from the next room. The king rushed into the adjoining chamber where Lance was watching helplessly. Merlin began to thrash back and forth on the bed, but Arthur gently shook him, waking him up.

"Merlin, shh, you're having a nightmare. It's over now," Arthur crooned as he sat next to the bed. "You're safe with me."

"Arthur, Lord Drumpf got on the council!" Merlin cried, his eyes wide with fear.

"No, Merlin. We haven't heard word yet of what happened." Arthur gave him a peck on the lips. "Go back to sleep."

Merlin nodded. "Promise you'll wake me up the moment you hear."

"I will." Arthur vowed before he returned to his own bed but was stopped by his servant and guard, Rowan.

"Is everything alright, Sire?" Rowan asked.

"Arthur?" Gwen had woken up too.

"Merlin had a nightmare. Rowan, go back to your post," Arthur ordered. "No, wait a moment…" They discussed something in hushed tones before Rowan went back outside to guard the door.

Lulled by Gwen's gentle breathing, the king fell into an uneasy sleep, unnerved by Merlin's dream.

At dawn, there was a light knock at the door. Arthur got up quietly, as not to wake Gwen. Rowan met him at the door, his eyes downcast. Rowan shook his head, mouthing the words, 'I'm sorry'.

Arthur began to shake with anger as he processed just what that meant. He thought of his subjects, of all the people who he'd sworn to protect, not just those in Camelot but those in all the five kingdoms. Then he thought of the love of his life, and how he'd react to the news.

"Arthur?" Gwen sat up immediately. "What's going on?"

"How am I going to tell Merlin?" Gwen had never heard Arthur sound so broken as he did now.

"Oh no!" Gwen gasped, realizing what had happened.

"Tell me what?" Merlin appeared, looking from Arthur to Gwen for answers.

"Gwen, we need a moment." Arthur knew that Merlin's emotions were already in a delicate state, that he was likely to lose control when he heard the news. Just on the safe side, Arthur made sure they were alone. He watched Lance usher Gwen out of the room and knew she'd be safe with him.

"Merlin. I need you to stay calm. Lord Drumpf got the seat on the Mercian council."

"What? No! It wasn't supposed to happen," Merlin cried, rocking back and forth on the bed. "I felt it, my magic felt it. I was sure it wouldn't happen! My magic was wrong. What kind of warlock will I be if I can't trust my magic?" As Merlin's frustration grew, the gold began to glow in the warlock's eyes.

But Arthur stood firm, and didn't move even as his sorcerer began to vibrate with power. "Merlin, you have to get control."

"I can't!" Merlin hyperventilated.

"Yes you can. Look at me." Arthur commanded. "Listen to my voice. Now, I need you to pick a target."

"The pillows."

"Good."

Arthur stepped out of the line of fire as Merlin stretched out his right hand and incinerated all ten of the royal pillows. The magical ashes rained harmlessly down around them and the bed.

"Better?" Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded, but he still felt the anger welling up inside him. Releasing the initial buildup of dark magic had helped, but he was still struggling.

"We're going to calm down," Arthur instructed. "Feel my hands on your temples. We're going to breathe in… and out. In, and out. Breathe, love."

Merlin took a shallow breath, and then another. He breathed in unison with his Arthur, his Golden One, until the warlock was inhaling long, calming breaths. How long this continued, Merlin couldn't say. His mind had drifted and he somehow seemed separate from his body. He preferred to stay this way, with the heavy weight of reality somehow muted. But then he remembered Arthur and their destiny, and willed himself to return his body.

"How are you feeling now?" Arthur asked, after Merlin's breathing had returned to normal.

"I'm alright." Merlin shivered. "Thank you for calming me down."

"I've had a lot of practice by now," Arthur teased but his heart wasn't in it.

"Arthur, I would've bet my life that Drumpf wouldn't have gotten it," Merlin whispered. "What if there's something wrong with my magic?"

"You're not a Seer, Merlin," Arthur reminded him. "You're not like Morgana."

"No, but…" Merlin let out a long sigh. "I thought I had a sense of knowing, you know? Like I sometimes do. I know things will happen before they do, you know that. But not this time. And I don't know why."

Arthur had no answer for him.

Merlin took small comfort that the day turned out to be just like any other day. Although the mood in the magic school was tense, nothing else was out of the ordinary. Morgana had been a great comfort to him. During the break for lunch, they confessed their mutual terror for what was to come. But when the school day resumed, Merlin and Morgana stood as a united front, putting on a brave face for their students. The mood had lightened considerably by the time the students left for home, but Merlin didn't trust it.

After a long and stressful council meeting, Arthur invited all of the knights and their wives to dine in the throne room with him that night. There were no visiting courtiers allowed, just friendly faces who all knew the truth about Arthur and Merlin's loving relationship as well as Gwen and Lance's.

A subdued Morgana was sitting on Sir Leon's lap, her husband's arms encircling her as he laughed at a joke Sir Gwaine made at Lord Drumpf's expense. Merlin was glad she was in his capable hands. Morgana often spoke of Leon's calming presence, much like Arthur's. Merlin hoped that she wouldn't be plagued by prophetic dreams that night.

Merlin grasped Arthur's left hand under the table as they ate their meal. He didn't let go until Arthur stood up to make a toast, in honor of Camelot and the remarkable social progress they had made since the dark days of Uther Pendragon and the Purge against magic. After the knights were dismissed, Merlin followed Arthur back to their chambers, not wanting to let his king out of his sight for a minute. He had to step up his vigilance, as Lord Drumpf might be convincing King Bayard right now to send out an assassin to kill man he loved. The thought made him nauseous.

That night, a chill blanketed the whole of Camelot. It was the first night of frost, which was strange as the temperature had been quite hot the day before. It was as if nature herself was in mourning for their lost future.

Adding an extra blanket to their bed to combat the cold, Arthur motioned Gwen to come closer. "There's one thing that was a bit odd that I haven't told you about," Arthur told Gwen, making sure that Merlin was out of earshot. "When Merlin had a nightmare last night, Rowan rushed in, right?"

"So?" Gwen shrugged.

"Before Rowan left, I asked him what time it was," said Arthur. "I don't know why, but I did. Later today, I found out that the results of Drumpf's appointment was announced in Mercia at the exact same time as Merlin had his nightmare, but of course Camelot didn't find out the news until hours later."

"Weird." Gwen shivered. "Perhaps Merlin's magic isn't as off as he thought."

"I'm putting on a good face for Merlin, but the truth is, I don't know how bad this is going to be," Arthur confessed to his queen. "I hate not having control. I feel so helpless. Merlin and I were supposed to have this great destiny, but now I fear a shadow has fallen upon it. Yes, I've made a fragile peace between the five kingdoms, but it's only been two months! Tensions are running high, distrust of magic users has crept back into the hearts of our neighbors, the Mercians. What if our world is plunged into war?"

"None of us know how bad it will be," said Gwen, taking Arthur's hand firmly in hers. "Or how good. We'll just have to take each day as it comes. We'll prepare for the worst and hope for the best."

A flickering candle on the nightstand caught Arthur's eye. As the flame danced, he considered how the candlelight shone brightly in the darkness, illuminating all that it touched and radiating warmth in the frigid night air. The young king hoped with all his might that Camelot's light wouldn't be snuffed out right when her Golden Age had only just begun.

A/N: Who is ready for Jan 20?


	4. Hope Remains - Watch Out For Lord Drumpf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A random act of kindness reduces Merlin's apprehension about Lord Drumpf's appointment in Mercia.

Disclaimer: Merlin is not mine.

Bonus Chapter 36: Hope Remains

Merlin awoke in bed with a start. His heart began to pound as he remembered what today was – the day that Lord Drumpf and Lord Dense would become official members of the Mercian council. 

There was not much that frightened Merlin – he was the most powerful warlock of all time – but this did. Lord Drumpf had stirred up a lot of anti-magical sentiment, which had helped him win the council position. Lord Dense, his right hand man, was no better.   
Merlin hadn’t forgotten Morgana’s vision a few months ago that showed him and Arthur riding out to meet the Mercian troops in war. The warlock knew that was the worst case scenario, that King Bayard would not want to go to war with Camelot. However, if these two lords continued to influence him, it was possible that this could occur. 

Unfortunately, Mercia was in a state where many of the poor were out of work, and didn’t have enough food to feed their families, due to failing agricultural practices. It was easy for Lord Drumpf to gain their support, as he promised to give them jobs and reduce their taxes. Not only that, but Lord Drumpf and Lord Dense were blaming the magic users for their problems. They started a movement that quickly grew steam, using the magic users as a scapegoat. Many of the Mercians fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. 

Lost in thought, Merlin barely registered Arthur’s strong arms encircling his form. As Lancelot and Guinevere had already gone downstairs, the king had gone into Merlin’s adjoining room, in hopes of comforting him.

“Merlin, you’re trembling.” Arthur tried to soothe his warlock as he kissed his forehead. “I know you’re worried about today. What’s going through your head?”

The warlock could’ve given many answers. He could mention the enchanted wall that Lord Drumpf promised to build, to keep the magic users out. Or his insinuation that he would deport all of the magic users. Or his derogatory remarks aimed at women, people with dark skin, or people with an incurable affliction. Or perhaps his insistence that women would not be given free and easy access to potions that would prevent unwanted childbirth. Or, that practically every word out of his mouth was a lie. Or, worst of all, that Lord Drumpf and Lord Dense planned to carry out their agenda, providing for the elite, wealthy nobility and ignoring the plight of the poor.  
However, he was interrupted by a knock at the door before he could answer. 

“My lords, you have several visitors waiting in the throne room.” Their servant Rowan knew all about their secret relationship. Merlin knew he wouldn’t have interrupted their precious little time together unless it was important.

“We’ll be right down,” Arthur promised.

He and Merlin quickly dressed and headed to the throne room. Merlin wondered who it could be. Perhaps it was someone from Mercia, who came bearing bad news?

As it turned out, Merlin was only half right.

“My lord Merlin! My king.” The court sorcerer was surprised to see his student and knight Galahad. Another man stood beside him, whose identity was not known to Merlin. The man, dressed in Mercian blue, was leaning on Galahad for support. They both bowed their heads in respect to their king and Merlin as well.

“Galahad?” Merlin frowned. “I thought you were on your way to visit your mother.”

“I was, but I found this man lying in the middle of the road, in the middle of the forest, with a twisted ankle,” Galahad informed him. “I used my magic to heal his ankle as best I could, and helped him back to Camelot to receive more aid.”

“That was commendable of you,” said Merlin with a nod. Then he approached the other man. “Can I see your injured ankle?”

The man nodded. Merlin healed it without any trouble. 

“Thank you, my lord,” the man said gratefully. “I am forever in your debt, and in Sir Galahad’s as well.”

“Where are you from?” Arthur asked, curious how the man came to be injured in the forest.

“I’m from Mercia, my lord,” the man said, confirming Merlin’s suspicions and causing him to automatically tense. The man noticed and was quick to defend himself.

“Don’t worry - I don’t believe in the prejudice that is running rampant in my country,” he told the king and warlock. “There are actually a good many of us who oppose Lord Drumpf. Some of us are organize a peaceful protest outside King Bayard’s castle, to show our displeasure concerning Lord Drumpf’s appointment on the council.”

“Really?” Merlin began to relax after hearing of this news.

“Not all of us have been swayed by this silver-tongued demagogue,” the man insisted. “We owe much to the magic users in our community. They have shown us time and again how they use their magic as a force for good.”

“You must stay with us, until you have regained your strength,” Arthur offered.

“That is kind of you, sire, but I really must return to my country,” said the man. “I have a duty to my family, and my community that we curtail any violence that may occur during the coming weeks.”

“Of course,” said Arthur. “I shall lend you on of my finest horses so you can reach Mercia as soon as possible.”

“Thank you!” The man cried with gratitude. 

“You have shown us, through your acceptance of Sir Galahad’s help and tolerance of magic users, that you are brave indeed,” said Merlin. “Safe journey.” The man bowed, and a servant stepped forward to escort him to the stables.

“It is good to see a selfless act of kindness,” said Merlin. “Galahad, you will be rewarded for your good deed. It is not often that one will stop to help a stranger, especially one from Mercia.”

“It was nothing,” said the knight. “I believe that small acts of kindness are more important now than ever.”

Merlin glanced at Arthur, who gave him an encouraging smile. If the majority of the people would act in this manner, perhaps they would get through this crisis after all.

The End

A/N: I’m about to see Lord Drumpf’s inauguration. I pray that there is no violence, as I’ve got friends in D.C. Thanks for reading!


	5. It's Too Late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur wants to give Drumpf a chance and Merlin says it's too late for that.

Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to Arthur, not me.

A/N: Shit just got real, guys! Stay vigilant.

Merlin Bonus Chapter 37: It’s Too Late

.~.

Merlin was exhausted. After a long day at the magic school practicing defensive spells, he was ready to relax and eat dinner with Arthur.

He awaited Arthur in the king’s chambers, starting on their meal of bread, cheese, sausage, and fruit. 

“There you are,” Arthur said, after barging in without knocking.

“Mmph,” Merlin said in greeting, his mouth full of sausage.

“Thanks for waiting for me,” Arthur said, with sarcasm as he yanked off his boots and threw them in the far corner of the room.

“I was hungry,” Merlin protested. “I’d like for you to deal with whiny young sorcerers and sorceresses all day and see how you do.”

“That sounds better than dealing with the council,” said Arthur. He kissed Merlin’s forehead in greeting before taking a seat at the table and diving right in to the food. Over dinner, they discussed matters of state and the preparations for upcoming feast celebrating Gwen’s birthday. But Merlin’s heart just wasn’t in it, not after the news he’d received that day.

“Something’s bothering you,” Arthur said, noticing that Merlin’s usual chipper attitude was missing.

“You think?” Merlin said sarcastically.

“Let’s hear it,” Arthur sighed, knowing from experience that Merlin needed to talk it out.

His court sorcerer launched into a tirade about reports coming in from Mercia regarding Lord Drumpf and Lord Dense. 

“So today, he told the king he needed to stop sending aid to the poor, especially to those who need medical care,” Merlin began his rant.   
“He also wants to restrict easy and inexpensive access to anti-pregnancy potions, which could lead to a whole mountain of problems.”

“Did King Bayard listen?” Arthur asked.

“I don’t know,” said Merlin. “Then, he suggested that Mercia start building the enchanted wall that would keep magic users from entering the country.”

“Walls are built all the time,” said Arthur. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”

“Not one like this,” Merlin countered. “He’s convinced the citizens of Mercia that Camelot is going to pay for their enchanted wall.”

Arthur guffawed at that. “They’ll be paying for their own wall - no one’s going to actually believe Camelot would pay.”

“You’d be surprised,” Merlin said bitterly. “Arthur, he’s deliberately targeting magic users. He also has insinuated that he wants to deport all the magic users who are currently living in Mercia, especially those who have committed a crime. There was a mentally unstable Druid who killed several people in a tavern near the Mercian capital last year. Drumpf has used this one circumstance to malign all magic users, and the people are starting to believe that he’s right.” 

“That’s unfortunate,” said Arthur, trying to be diplomatic as he knew this subject was a huge trigger for Merlin. 

“And another thing - I’m so sick of this whole ‘Mercia First’ crap,” Merlin spat. “He’s alienating us and the rest of our allies, and what good is that going to do? He can’t afford to stop trade between us.”

“He can’t,” Arthur agreed. 

“Oh, and have you heard about his mini-proclamations?” Merlin continued.

Arthur hadn’t.

“Apparently he wants to communicate with his supporters in the lower town. So he has a servant post messages made up of one-hundred and forty letters or less in the town square, during all hours of the day and night.”

“Interesting,” Arthur mused. “That’s actually a good idea. I should start doing that, so I can be more in touch with my people.”

“It’s not a good idea!” Merlin screeched. “Drumpf is using it to vilify his enemies. He uses a lot of colorful adjectives and expletives and the proletariat eat it up!”

“That’s a bit strange,” Arthur commented.

“No kidding,” Merlin snorted. “He’s lying to his people as well. Drumpf told his supporters that the crowds outside the castle the morning that he’d been granted a place on the council were larger than those outside our castle when you were crowned king. That simply wasn’t true! Our crowds were at least triple of that.”

“Perhaps Drumpf made an honest mistake,” Arthur offered. “Maybe he didn’t know the number of people at my coronation.”

“No, Arthur,” Merlin said exasperated. “Every word that comes out of his mouth is a lie. Or, he is making statements attacking people who have spoken out against him.”

“Surely you exaggerate,” said Arthur. “I’ve heard several reports that corroborate that Drumpf has made some level-headed statements, about honoring those who serve and keeping those under his jurisdiction safe.”

“Safe?!” Merlin couldn’t believe it. “Why do you keep defending him? He just wants to control everything, under the guise of keeping his people safe. He wants more knights, more weapons, more patrols. It reminds me of how your father ruled, with an iron fist over the people. Drumpf wants to rule by fear, and according to our contacts in Mercia, it’s working.”

“What we need to remember is while Lord Drumpf has a considerable amount of influence in Mercia, he is not king,” Arthur reminded him. 

“His power is limited. I know he seems horrible, but in the spirit of fairness, we should give him a chance, and not judge him on past behavior.”

“Arthur, are you serious right now?” Merlin looked ashen. “You and half the castle have suddenly adopted this attitude and I can’t understand it. It’s too late for that now! You’re all wallowing in denial.”

“I am not!” Arthur retorted. “I know that Drumpf could be dangerous. I remember Morgana’s vision, about us going to war. But I don’t want to jump to conclusions before I have all the facts.”

“Why don’t you believe me?” Merlin asked. “When have I ever been wrong about things like this?”

“You thought Drumpf wouldn’t get a position on the Mercian council,” Arthur reminded him.

“That was an aberration,” Merlin said stubbornly. “Who could’ve known that would happen? Arthur, don’t you trust me?”

“It’s not a matter of trust, Merlin,” said the king. “I know you, and you are overly emotionally invested in this matter.”

“That’s true,” Merlin realized. “But how could you not be emotionally invested?” 

“I have to remain objective,” said Arthur. “As king, I can’t afford to let my emotions cloud my judgement.”

“I understand and admire that,” said Merlin. “But Arthur, this is just the beginning. Lying about crowd size is not a big deal. But he’ll start telling more lies, and each time they’ll be a bit bigger. It’s not going to stop. He did it during his rise to power by distorting numbers, saying that crime was the worst it’s ever been in Mercia, even when crime rate has been decreasing, and he’s doing it now. He’s out to destroy every freedom that his people have, and possibly ours if we don’t act against him. How can I get it through your thick skull that Drumpf and Dense are the worst threat that our kingdom will ever face?”

“I can’t believe that,” Arthur muttered. “If that were the case, I’d know.”

“I know, Arthur.” Merlin’s eyes prickled with tears. “I’ve foreseen all the awful consequences that we must face for allowing a man such as this gain power.”

“Tell me,” said Arthur.

Merlin shook his head. “It is not your burden to bear. But one of the things that Drumpf has said, that he wants to tear apart his enemies from within. Arthur, what if he sends spies to infiltrate the castle? What if he finds out about us? What if he finds out about Gwen and Lance? Or any of the other secrets that we guard?”

“He wouldn’t dare,” said Arthur, but he sounded unsure.

“Lord Dense is extremely against same-sex matches,” Merlin reminded him. 

“Merlin, he said that publicly sixteen years ago,” said Arthur. “Perhaps his feelings have changed. Mine certainly did about magic.”

“Do you think his feelings have changed?” Merlin said softly.

“No,” said Arthur, his eyes downcast. “Maybe I am in denial. I just don’t want to think about it because I’m afraid that due to this mess, I might lose you.”

“You won’t lose me,” Merlin said automatically.

“You don’t know that,” said Arthur, his voice low as he struggled to keep the emotion out of it. 

“No, I don’t,” Merlin admitted. “But if you think I’m going to get captured and leave the job of cleaning your armor to someone else, you’d better think again. I care a hell of a lot about that armor.” Merlin exchanged a long, heated glance with Arthur. They both knew he was hinting at so much more than polishing silver chainmail.

“Arthur,” Merlin breathed, and suddenly he was straddling the king’s lap and their clothes had vanished. After a few minutes of lazy kisses, Merlin magically prepared himself and sank down onto Arthur. They were face to face, as Merlin wanted the king to hold him as they rocked back and forth. This was Merlin’s favorite position, and Arthur knew it.

The king was happy to oblige. He held Merlin tight as he slowly thrust into his sorcerer’s warmth. “I want you safe,” Merlin sobbed, as he reached his peak. “Promise me!”

“Alright,” Arthur panted as he followed soon after Merlin. 

They slowly came down from their high. 

“Merlin, you wore me out!” Arthur groaned as Merlin magically cleaned them off.

“You don’t get to complain,” said Merlin. “I’m the one who took it up my mmph!”

Arthur had tackled his sorcerer, effectively cutting off any future incriminating words coming out of Merlin’s mouth. 

After they had calmed down, Merlin began another rant about politics. Arthur realized he hadn't tired him out enough, so he just listened to Merlin, wanting to be supportive.

“There was one more thing that I forgot to mention,” the sorcerer remembered. “Now, to complicate matters even more, a civil war has broken out in the kingdom of Essetir. Refugees are pouring into Mercia, which is their neighboring kingdom. King Bayard has said that he will allow Essetirian refugees into his kingdom and give them asylum, but Drumpf wants to put a ban on that. He doesn’t want to allow any more refugees into the kingdom because he thinks they are untrustworthy and could be a threat to the kingdom’s stability. Can you believe that?” 

Arthur groaned. “Do I have to make a ‘no talking about Drumpf’ in bed rule?”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Merlin mused. 

“Don’t worry, Merlin,” Arthur soothed his sorcerer. “At least we know that Drumpf will never gain so much influence on the king to where Bayard would detain any of the innocent, desperate families that just made the long journey from Essetir to Mercia.”

“That would be extreme, even for him,” Merlin agreed. “I doubt that would never happen.”

Merlin and Arthur fell asleep in each other’s arms, having no way of knowing about the grim news from Mercia that was to greet them the next morning.

.~.

End Chapter

A/N: Everyone needs to wake the hell up! Drumpf has put a ban on Syrian refugees, even on those who were in the air at the time his order went into effect. Now, these refugees have been detained in airports. Some have asked for lawyers and have been denied that right. This can’t be allowed to go on!!!!


	6. The Ban On Magic-Users

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Drumpf institutes a ban on refugee magic users in Mercia. Merlin and Arthur are not pleased.

Disclaimer: Merlin is Arthur’s, not mine.

A/N: Look out, Drumpf. We’re on to you now! No more thinly disguised bans.

.~.

Bonus Chapter 38: The Ban On Magic-Users

.~.

Merlin and Arthur were lying in a meadow side by side. They were camping in the forest at the edge of their kingdom. Their hands intertwined as they gazed up at the starry sky. Merlin leaned over to kiss Arthur but he was interrupted by their servant Rowan bursting into the room.

The warlock’s fantasy dissipated as he adjusted to his surroundings, back to the king’s chambers. It had been a rare night when Merlin had bent the rules and spent the night in Arthur’s bed, but he hadn’t wanted to leave the comfort of his king’s arms, especially when such devastating changes were sweeping across the land. 

As he sat up and stretched, Merlin recalled that they were in the early days of Lord Drumpf’s appointment to the Mercian council. Drumpf’s influence had severely hurt the relations between people who had magic and those who did not. Anti-magic sentiment had run rampant in Mercia, fueled by the proletariat’s frustration at their unemployment. They needed someone to blame for their misfortune, and Lord Drumpf had conveniently framed the innocent witches and wizards who lived among the citizens of Mercia. These days, Merlin hated waking up, much preferring to exist in the dream world. True, Camelot hadn’t been affected by these policies, but he knew it was only a matter of time.

Then Merlin felt a loving hand on his shoulder. Arthur’s eyes locked with his, as if he knew what Merlin was thinking about. He probably did – their minds were so attuned to each other as they were soul bonded for life. Merlin gave him a smile, remembering why he was here – to keep his king safe. It was worth coming back to the world, with Arthur in it. 

“Yes, Rowan, what is the matter?” Arthur prompted, addressing their servant.

“My king, my lord, I’m sorry to interrupt your sleep, but we just received word from Mercia. At Lord Drumpf’s suggestion, King Bayard has just issued an executive order to ban all refugees from Essetir from entering their kingdom.”

“What?” Merlin was livid. “Of all the-”

“Merlin,” Arthur groaned. “It’s too early for this. Rowan, couldn’t this have waited until morning?”

“There’s more,” Rowan continued. Merlin was surprised that he didn’t answer the king’s question, which could be a major faux pas if it were any other ruler. Thankfully, Arthur was usually understanding if a servant was accidentally rude, as working with Merlin had given him plenty of practice.

“Go ahead,” said Arthur. 

“Sorry, Sire,” Rowan colored, realizing his mistake. 

Arthur waved at him to continue. 

Rowan cleared his throat, glad he wasn’t being reprimanded. “There are some refugees that had just crossed the Essetirian border when the order was given. They have been detained and many of the families have been separated for no apparent reason. It’s complete chaos at the borders right now.”

At this news, Arthur finally was roused from his sleepy state. King and Sorcerer exchanged a look of horror. “Drumpf’s using fear to gain power over the people,” said Merlin. “Arthur, this happened just as I expected. And I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse.”

“Don’t worry, Merlin,” Arthur reassured him, grabbing his hand under the covers. “Drumpf has gone too far this time. We will bring these refugees here and give them a home in Camelot.” 

“Thank you,” Merlin whispered.

“You idiot, thanking me for something that was already decided,” Arthur teased but Merlin wasn’t amused.

Arthur turned his attention to Rowan. “Send word to Mercia that we will accept all refugees they have denied.” When Rowan didn’t move to carry out the order, Merlin realized there must be something else.

“What are you not telling us?” Merlin pressed.

“There are several hundred refugees who have the correct identification to enter Mercia,” said Rowan. “But the ones who have been denied entry are all magic users.”

“Fuck!” Merlin swore. His eyes blazed with gold as his magic began to build deep within, begging to erupt. His hands shook. “How can they discriminate like that?”

“Merlin, stay calm,” Arthur soothed. He reached for Merlin’s hand. “Look at me. We will help these people. Breathe.”

With Arthur’s help, Merlin used a calming spell to push his magic back down. Merlin looked at Arthur, who reassured him. “You didn’t hurt me. You regained control.” 

Merlin nodded, trying to catch his breath. 

Arthur noticed that Rowan was still standing at attention. “Rowan, your orders?” Arthur said pointedly. 

Rowan blushed. “Oh, right.” He quickly scuttled out of the room.

Merlin was still trembling a bit. “Arthur, all those families. They must be terrified, thinking they had gotten safely away from the war torn Essetir, only to be denied safety in Mercia.”

“We’ve prepared to accept as many refugees the past few weeks, ever since Morgana’s prophetic vision,” Arthur said. 

“That’s true,” Merlin remembered.

“I’ll call an emergency meeting of the council right away,” Arthur vowed as he jumped out of bed and began to dress.   
Merlin did the same. “Today I will continue to work with my students on defensive spells, in case the worst happens and we end up going to war.”

“Merlin, the odds of that happening are slim,” said Arthur trying to be optimistic as he slipped a faded crimson shirt over his head.

“Morgana dreamt about us going to war with Mercia,” Merlin reminded him.

“I know,” Arthur whispered. “I’m trying not to dwell on that.”

“I just want to keep our people safe,” Merlin choked out, beginning to tremble. He was pulled into Arthur’s arms as he soothed his warlock.

“We need to go,” Arthur said after a few minutes. He kissed Merlin on his forehead and vowed that they would get through this.

Merlin nodded. “I’ll see you later.”

He and Arthur parted ways, ready to meet the challenges of their day.

.~.

After a long day drilling his students, Merlin was summoned to the council meeting, which was still going on. He noted that Arthur looked exhausted.

“Yes, my king?” Merlin asked before taking an empty seat at Arthur’s right side. It was a spot reserved for the court sorcerer, and it was never filled when he couldn’t attend. 

“We’ve received more information from our contact in Mercia,” said Arthur. “We’ve been told that the distributing of a small amount of resources allotted to educate the poor has been terminated, due to the insistence of a very rich woman. Also, we’ve learned that a new council member has just been appointed, a Lord Dannon. He is Drumpf’s man, and he is a known warmonger and is prejudiced against magic-users.”

Merlin sighed. “Just what we need.”

“But we will show Mercia our compassion towards those they have alienated,” said the king. “I’ve ordered a small band of knights to ride to meet the refugees, to bring them food, water, and hope for a better future. “I’d like you to go with them.”

“And leave you here unguarded?” Merlin blanched. “I won’t do it.” He knew Arthur wasn’t thrilled when Merlin disagreed with him during council meetings, but this was something worth arguing against. 

“Morgana and the other magic-users are up to the task,” Arthur countered.

“I won’t risk your life while I’m gone,” Merlin insisted. “The Mercians might have already dispatched an assassin to kill you.”

“Then I’ll ride out to meet the refugees with you,” Arthur countered.

“Sire, I do not believe that to be wise to leave Camelot here without her king,” Sir Leon spoke up. 

“I will not be a prisoner in my own castle,” Arthur grated out. “If I want to accompany my knights, I will. Guinevere is certainly up to the task of running the kingdom while I’m gone.”

“What if one of the refugees is an assassin?” Sir Elyan worried. “Perhaps one of the magic users.”

“I will not suspect innocent people until they have proved otherwise,” Arthur snapped. “I’m nipping this paranoia in the bud right now. There will be no distrust of refugees or magic users – that’s not acceptable.”

“Yes, my king.” Elyan looked properly chastised. “I was only concerned for your safety.”

“Well don’t be,” said Arthur. “That’s what Merlin is for.”

Everyone shared a nervous chuckle at that and even Merlin cracked a smile. 

“My team will meet in the stables in half and hours. Send word with a servant to pack enough food and water on the horses,” Arthur ordered. “The council is dismissed.”

.~.

Before they departed, Merlin concocted a plan. He had Arthur fake a training injury and return to his chambers to ‘rest’. Then Merlin secretly whisked Arthur away under the cover of darkness. They rode out to meet the refugees with Gwaine, Percival, and Leon at their side.

.~.

That night, Rowan was tidying up the king’s chambers when he was approached by a hooded figure dressed in black. Before he knew what was happening, a sword was held at his throat. 

The servant swallowed hard and asked. “What do you want from me?”

.~.

Two days later

While Merlin, Arthur, and the knights were gone, Camelot received another disturbing piece of news from Mercia. Sir Galahad brought the information to Guinevere and Lancelot, in the basement library where they would not be overheard.

“What is it now?” Gwen asked. Lance held her hand in support, as Galahad knew the truth about their relationship, as well as Arthur and Merlin’s.

Galahad’s forehead crinkled with worry as he delivered the news. “Drumpf has just issued a new mini-proclamation,” said the knight. “It reads, ‘Camelot is being overrun by filthy Essetirian refugees - a total disaster. That is a mistake - you can’t trust magic-users. Everybody knows that the only reason Pendragon reversed his revered father’s ban on magic is because he’s screwing his Court Sorcerer’.”

Gwen and Lance exchanged a worried look. Someone had found out about Arthur and Merlin’s relationship, or they had accurately guessed about it. What were they going to do?!

End Chapter 38

A/N: Anyone have any comments about Drumpf?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Merlin welcome the Essetirian refugees, and are troubled over Lord Drumpf's accusation that they are sleeping together.

Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to Arthur – the end.

.~.

A/N: So the travel ban has been overturned! Yay! But there is still much going on that we need to be aware of.

To my reviewers – yes I'm getting political. The actual story Merlin's Struggles ended right before the bonus chapters. Basically the bonus chapters are about romantic plot bunnies I want to write for Merthur, or a way to process or vent about my personal life. Right now, I'm writing about Trump, trying to process my feelings about him. However, I know I'm getting off topic too much, so I'll try to make the main focus back on Merthur.

And sure, if you want to view Camelot as the equivalent of Canada, that's fine. LOL. I hadn't actually made that connection, but it makes total sense.

.~.

Chapter -7 - Good And Bad News

.~.

Merlin, Arthur, and his best knights had traveled for a day and a half before they came upon the first group of Essetirian refugees, most of them magic-users and their families. They had been turned away from safety in Mercia, as anti-magical sentiment had run rampant thanks to Lord Drumpf and his cronies.

"Who are you?" The man at the head of the group asked as he approached Arthur, who was of course in the lead. The dark-skinned man looked tired and weary, as did the travelers behind him. "What do you want from us?"

"We are knights of Camelot," Arthur said proudly, pointing to the Pendragon coat of arms on his shirt. "We only wish to help you."

Merlin noticed that his love did not introduce himself as the king. So Arthur preferred to remain anonymous for now. The warlock respected that. Most likely, Arthur didn't want any special treatment from these people.

"What's your name?" Arthur asked.

"Ashkanar, of central Essetir," the man replied, shifting nervously on one foot. Arthur noted that they had no weapons. He was thankful that he had found the refugees first, as this part of the forest was often home to bandits.

"Have you come all this way on foot?" Gwaine asked, amazed that so many of the women and children had made it this far without any mode of transportation.

"Our horses were confiscated by the Mercian guards," Ashkanar admitted. "We couldn't fight back - there were too many of them."

Arthur bit his lip to stop it from trembling in anger. "You are all welcome here in Camelot, especially the magic-users. We will give you shelter and safety until you can get back on your feet."

"Thank you. I'd heard that King Arthur might accept us," said Ashkanar. "But I wasn't certain."

"The king is ready to receive Essetirian refugees," said Arthur. "We've been preparing for this for weeks."

"But the ban was only put into place a week ago." Ashkanar sounded astonished.

"We anticipated his order," said Merlin, stepping forward as he alluded to Morgana's prophetic dream. He wanted to take the attention from Arthur, so he introduced himself to the refugees and vowed to protect them with his life.

"It's Emrys!" One of the women cried.

"We're saved!" exclaimed another.

Arthur gestured to himself with a slight frown on his face, as he was forgotten and Merlin was surrounded by the refugees.

"This isn't about you, Princess," said Gwaine, who had seen the whole thing.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I know. It's just that when ever Merlin tells people he is Emrys, he's practically worshipped."

"To most people with magic, he is their savior," Leon reminded him.

"What about me, the Once and Future King?" Arthur kidded. "I thought I was Camelot's savior."

"Come on, Arthur - let Merlin enjoy the adoration of his people," said Gwaine.

"He'd better give me some adoration when we get home," Arthur muttered under his breath, but his words were good natured.

Once they'd made camp, Leon and Gwaine began to unpack the supplies and distribute them to the people. Without a word of complaint, Arthur went to help them. The king had never seen so many grateful faces as they accepted the meager rations of bread, cheese, and water. Or perhaps he had. Arthur recalled the day when he, Merlin, Morgana, and Gwen had fought in Ealdor to rid them of the evil men that had come to raid the village. He'd felt like a true hero that day. Yes, it was because he'd helped people in need, but it was mostly because of the way Merlin looked at him.

"Hey, Princess - now's your chance to be a hero." Gwaine patted him on the shoulder and pointed in the direction of a small little girl, huddled over by the horses where she could barely be seen. "The elders told me that they can't get her to speak to them."

Arthur quietly approached the girl, who looked no more than seven.

"Hello, little one," said the king, getting down on his knees so he would be on the child's level. "Why are you crying?"

She didn't answer, but looked at him with her teary blue eyes. They reminded Arthur of Merlin's, and doubled his resolve to help this girl.

"Where are your parents?" He asked.

The girl began to shudder with huge gasps.

"Hey, it's alright," Arthur soothed. "We'll find them. Are they back in Mercia?"

The girl nodded.

"Did you get separated?" The king asked.

Again, the girl nodded.

"What's your name?"

"Sefa," the girl whispered.

"What happened?" Arthur pressed.

Sefa sized up Arthur, before deciding to trust him. "My parents are back in Mercia," she sniffed, holding back a sob. "They smuggled me into this group, who just barely escaped the guards."

"I'm sure they'll come with the next group," said Arthur. "The knights will be coming to help. As soon as we take you back to Camelot, we will ride for Mercia and try to fix this mess."

"Really?" Sefa's eyes shone with hope. "Will you thank King Arthur when you see him?"

"I will," said Arthur. "Seeing that I am the king."

The little girl shrunk back, and gave an awkward bow."

"No, that's not necessary," said Arthur, pulling her back to her feet. "I'm just a person here to help." He wondered if he should've kept his identity secret, but then the little girl wrapped herself around his leg in gratitude.

"The other kings were mean to me and my family, because I have magic." Sefa informed him, looking up at the king. "But you're so nice."

"See that man over there?" Arthur pointed to Merlin, who was still surrounded by adoring refugees. "He's the most powerful warlock in the world."

"That's Emrys?" Sefa gasped. "He's the one who changed your mind about magic-users, before you lifted the ban on magic in Camelot. At least, that's what my parents said."

"He did," Arthur said fondly. "Would you like to meet him?"

"Could I?" Sefa's expression shone with gratitude as she disentangled herself from his leg. "Do you know him?"

"I know him very well. He's my best friend," Arthur said quietly. "Come on, I'll take you to him."

Arthur took Sefa by the hand, and let her towards Merlin. Arthur whispered something into Merlin's ear and the warlock gave Sefa a bright smile. The girl held out her arms, and Merlin promptly picked her up and hugged her.

A few hours later, they broke came and headed back to Camelot. Merlin put Sefa on his horse and climbed up behind her, intent on keeping the girl safe and happy. Arthur led the refugees back to the castle and helped them get settled.

Then he and Merlin reported back to Gwen, to give her the news about Camelot's newest citizens.

.~.

The Throne Room

"Arthur," said Gwen with relief. "There you are!" She ran up to hug him.

"I'm sorry I'm late," said the king after he pulled away. "We needed to spend more time with the refugees than I originally thought."

The king was surprised that they were meeting in the throne room instead of their chambers, but he knew Gwen must have a reason.

Arthur surmised that she preferred to take her lunch at the Round Table in between morning and evening council meetings. She'd much rather take lunch in the privacy of her bedroom, but it didn't make sense to head back there and then to come back to the throne room. Besides, Gwen was starting to embrace her position as queen, enjoying her seat at the Round Table. It made her feel important, something she'd never felt growing up somewhat poor in the lower town. The Throne Room was also a safe location in the castle for discussing secret matters of state.

The king could tell by the worried expression on Gwen's face that something had gone horribly wrong.

"What is it?" Arthur pressed, taking a seat in his usual spot at the head of the table next to her.

"We must wait for Merlin. This concerns him too," said the queen.

Arthur's mind began to race as he wracked his brain as to what the bad news could be. Had Mercia declared war on Camelot? He didn't think so, as that news would be shared with his council members, not just Merlin. Perhaps there had been a hate crime, directed at of one of the magic users. Arthur sincerely hoped not, as he didn't want Merlin to have to deal with that news. They'd already lost so many during the battle with the dark mage Xalvador. But the news turned out to be worse than he'd fathomed.

After Merlin arrived, Gwen didn't beat around the bush. She read Lord Drumpf's latest mini proclamation, about the accusation that the only reason Camelot had revoked the ban on magic was because Arthur was screwing his court sorcerer.

"Fuck," Arthur swore, pounding his fist on the wooden table in frustration. He automatically glanced back at Merlin before returning his attention to his queen. "How the hell did they find out?"

"We don't know," Gwen said wearily. "I have a few theories, but we don't have any solid leads."

Merlin stood there, frozen in place as Arthur and Gwen speculated about the particulars of the accusation.

Arthur eventually noticed that his sorcerer wasn't speaking up. "Merlin?"

The warlock couldn't stop trembling. "Arthur, what if the people believe it?" Merlin's voice was shaking. "What if the crown's good name is tarnished? What if we can't be together?"

"I'll never live without you," Arthur vowed. "You know that."

"But Lord Drumpf…" Merlin trailed off.

"Lord Drumpf doesn't dictate how I live my life," said Arthur. "We can't live in fear of him."

"I agree," said Merlin. "But this is a serious accusation. The citizens of Camelot will no doubt hear about it. How are we supposed to handle this? I don't want to lie to our subjects, but we can't tell them the truth. Most of them wouldn't understand love between two men, especially one who is married."

"We have two options," Arthur proposed. "We can ignore the threat, or we can address it."

"I think we should ignore it," said Lance, who had just entered the hall. "I came as soon as I could," said the knight. He gently kissed Gwen's hand and took a seat beside her. "The gossip will die down eventually. It's not worth replying to."

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Arthur cautioned. "Our citizens will be expecting an answer back, lest we look weak. Also, Lord Drumpf will just continue to insult us if we don't respond. But if we do, he will most likely reply with a nonsensical answer, which will hopefully end the whole thing. Merlin, Gwen, what do you think?"

"I have to side with Lance on this one," said Gwen. "We shouldn't dignify this threat with a response."

"No, we need to respond now," Merlin countered. "Before the gossip spreads too far. We need to reassure our subjects that their king and queen's relationship is stronger than ever."

They continued to argue before they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in," Arthur called.

"Good news from Mercia!" Sir Belvedere ran into the hall, stopping to give a brief bow to Arthur. "Lord Drumpf's ban against magic-users has been temporarily halted! It seems there are three council members who have a spine after all, who are brave enough to challenge him."

Arthur, Merlin, and their friends gave an exhausted cheer. Even though they were amid a crisis, maybe things might be looking up.

A/N:Trump's ban got over ruled by 3 judges! Woohoo!


	8. Royal Affairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now Gwen and Lance are accused of having an affair!

Disclaimer: Merlin is Arthur’s. Yay.

A/N: So now we’ve got anti-Semitism to add to the mix of blaming. When will this ever stop?! Just when I thought things had calmed down a bit.

.~. 

Bonus Chapter 40: Royal Affairs

.~.

While Arthur and Merlin firmly believed that they must respond to Drumpf’s threat, they decided to put it to a vote. It was such an important decision, Arthur wanted to consult all of his advisors. The Council of the Round Table was to meet the following day. The king and warlock wondered who would be on their side, and who would be part of the opposition. They took it easy the rest of the day, each rattled by the threat. Following a hearty dinner, they went to bed early. Merlin held Arthur, who was having more trouble that Merlin with the news. Then Gwen arrived and Merlin left to sleep in his adjoining quarters. They couldn’t be too careful, especially now.

.~.

The next day

Arthur woke later than he should’ve to find Gwen and Merlin gone. Luckily, his breakfast was waiting. He supposed Rowan had brought it early, which was strange. Their servant usually waited around to hear his orders concerning his duties for the rest of the day. Perhaps Rowan was avoiding him? No matter, Arthur was hungry and he had an important council meeting that day. He dressed himself, thinking of the good old days when Merlin had to dress him before he became king. Then he tucked into his breakfast. The king had just finished when Merlin came skidding into their room after flinging the door open with magic.

“Arthur!” Merlin came to a stop in front of his king. “You’ll never guess what Drumpf did now!”

Arthur sighed. “Merlin, I’m sure whatever he’s done is horrible, but I’m running late for the-” But Merlin cut him off, a rarity in their relationship. 

“But Arthur, he’s now blaming people who practice the Old Religion for the growing number of attacks and threats on people with magic. He’s saying that we’re the problem!”

“Yes, but-” Arthur tried, inching for the door, but once again Merlin interrupted him.

“Not only that, but he’s inviting several noble guests to the castle to dine with him and his wife. The Mercians are hosting a banquet in their honor, because their child was murdered by a magic user. That was one incident out of so many other people who don’t have magic who have killed others. They’re trying to make it look like-”

“I know exactly what they’re trying to make it look like,” Arthur cut in. “Drumpf is blaming the magic users. He’s blaming the Essetirian refugees. He’s blaming the Druids who practice the Old Religion. He’s blaming anyone other than the people he wishes to protect. This isn’t anything new, Merlin.”

“But, Arthur-” Merlin tried.

However, by now, Arthur had lost his patience. “Shut up, Merlin,” the king thundered. 

Merlin froze mid tirade, shocked by Arthur’s declaration. Not that having Arthur tell him to shut up was anything new – that probably happened at least five times a day. But Arthur never actually meant it.

Arthur glared at his life partner. He would always love Merlin, but there were some times when he wanted to throttle him. “I am your king and you will listen to me. We have bigger problems right now. Drumpf threatened the stability of Camelot when he made that insult about me screwing my court sorcerer. I’m already late for the council meeting, which you also need to attend. We can’t afford to make any mistakes right now. Merlin, I swear, it feels like you’re becoming obsessed with this man. You’re more concerned about him than you are about us.” 

“That’s not true!” Merlin said hotly, but then he realized there was some truth to Arthur’s statement. “Fine, I suppose I’ve been following his every move, but someone has to.”

“We have spies for that. Merlin, it’s not going to do you any good if you’re swept up by this Drumpf hysteria like most of the kingdom.”

“You’re right,” Merlin realized. “I haven’t been focusing on us.”

“I need you with me on this, Merlin,” the king said, sounding as serious as the warlock had ever heard him. “This accusation was made about the both of us. I’m used to having such threats aimed at me, and so are you, but it’s never been like this.”

“Yes, Sire.” Merlin sounded subdued as he glanced at Arthur with sad eyes. Arthur never stood a chance.

“Hey, don’t look at me like that,” Arthur tried to reassure Merlin, his anger quickly deflating. He hated causing that look. “You didn’t upset me that much. I just got frustrated.” He pulled Merlin in for a quick hug. “Now we really have to go,” the king insisted, his voice muffled by Merlin’s shoulder.

The warlock nodded, pulled away, and they both left to attend the council meeting together.

.~.

The meeting went about as Merlin expected. (Everyone there knew about Arthur and Merlin’s relationship, which made things easier.) There was a lot of shouting as the knights and ladies weighed in. Gwaine and Morgana staunchly believed that they needed to respond to Drumpf’s insult. Elyan sided with Gwen and Lancelot, as he often did, in favor of ignoring the threat. Percy surprisingly fell on the side of ignoring the threat, not wanting to take an action that could lead to war. Leon fell on Morgana’s side of the argument, which was no surprise to anyone that he didn’t want to challenge his wife.

Merlin did a quick count in his head, and found that if they took a vote from everyone who had spoken, it would end in a tie. However, they had not heard Geoffrey of Monmouth’s opinion. He would cast the deciding vote. Luckily for Merlin, he sided in their favor. 

“I say that we must respond to this insult as a display of strength,” the ancient scholar proposed. “We must allay our subjects’ fears and we send a powerful message to Lord Drumpf that Camelot is not to be trifled with, and that all is well with the king and queen.”

“We’ll put it to a formal vote,” said Arthur. “All in favor, raise your hand.”

Just as Merlin predicted, out of the twelve knights, himself, Arthur, Gwen, Morgana, and Geoffrey, the vote was nine to eight, in favor of responding.

“That’s it, then,” said Arthur, amidst disappointed grumblings from dissenting knights. “We respond, but how?”

They spent the rest of the meeting trying to decide the best way to reply to the threat. Eventually they decided to have Arthur give a speech to his people and send a written copy to Mercia, where Drumpf could read it himself. Believing there was no time like the present, a proclamation was immediately issued. Arthur was to give his speech that night in the town square. It was not required that each citizen attend, but it strongly insinuated that they should. Not that most people needed convincing – they were always eager to hear what their king had to say, especially in regards to gossip. 

.~.

That night, Arthur prepared for his speech with Merlin in the throne room. 

“You’re going to be fine,” Merlin reassured him as he placed the king’s crown on Arthur’s head. “You’ve given plenty of speeches before.”

“Yes, but this one’s different,” Arthur insisted. “This speech has to be absolutely convincing to our people that we are as strong as we have ever been. I must also denounce the rumors about us, even if they are true.”

“We’ve worked a way around that, so you don’t have to directly lie,” Merlin reminded him.

“It’s still deceit, though,” said Arthur.

“You have no choice,” said Merlin.

“I know,” Arthur whispered. “I must do what’s best for Camelot. But what of the townspeople who have figured out that we are together? What will they think?”

“They love you, Arthur. They will stand beside you, no matter what,” said Merlin. “And so will I.”

.~.

That night, Arthur addressed his subjects as promised. Gwen stood beside him, and Merlin hung back, much like he used to do when he’d been Arthur’s servant. The town square was bursting with people who had turned out to hear what their king had to say.

Arthur didn’t beat around the bush. “Good evening,” he began. The crowd murmured the sentiment back. “I’m here tonight to address the rumors from Mercia concerning myself and Merlin. I just want to reassure you all that my relationship with Guinevere is a stronger than ever. I would never do anything to hurt her or put our happy marriage in jeopardy.” Arthur took Gwen’s hand in his own, raising it above them, symbolizing a united front.

The crowd cheered wildly for their beloved king and queen.

“I’ve also heard the reason behind these rumors,” Arthur continued. “Apparently, Drumpf concocted them on the knowledge that Merlin and I are always seen together.” Arthur mentioned that Merlin come forward, and they exchanged a grin, pretending to be amused by the whole thing. They saw a few of their subjects exchange knowing looks, but thankfully no one said anything. “That logic is about on par with the days when my father used to arrest people on suspicion of witchcraft without any proof.”

The citizens of Camelot answered with a resounding boo. 

“I know that Lord Drumpf is often seen with Lord Dannon. Perhaps that means they are having an affair?” Arthur grinned as the crowd had a good laugh at that.   
Then the king changed subject, and spoke out about the new lower taxes initiative that would go into effect the following week. He also spoke about Camelot’s strong defense, especially thanking the magic users who aided the army. Finally, he mentioned that there was a tryout to become a knight at the end of the month, and reiterated that anyone could attend, even women. (They had a few female knights who were expert fighters and could hold their own with the men.) 

“Thank you for coming out tonight.” Arthur brought his speech to a close. “During these uncertain times, we must have compassion for our neighbors more than ever. Thank you for coming together as we try to build a peaceful world. Long live Camelot!”

Arthur, Merlin, and Gwen all waved to the crowd before returning to the castle amidst a deafening cheer.

.~.

The threesome had a late dinner in the throne, with Lancelot joining them. 

“You gave an inspiring speech, Arthur,” said Lance, in admiration. 

“Thank you,” said the king. “Merlin and I worded it so I wouldn’t have to lie. I think it went over well.”

Just then, a guard burst into the room and addressed the king. “Sire, I’m sorry to interrupt, but a new message just arrived from Mercia.”

“What now?” Arthur wondered, hoping that this message wouldn’t contain something that would upset Merlin. Arthur knew from experience that if something upset Merlin, they’d have to talk about it before they could have sex that night. The king really wanted to skip all that and get straight to the sex.

“Lord Drumpf has made another accusation against the crown,” the guard regretfully informed him. “He says that your affair with Merlin has caused the queen to turn to Sir Lancelot, her protector, in an affair of her own.”

Arthur groaned in frustration and instinctively looked at Merlin. 

“There’s more,” said the guard. “Apparently, Lord Drumpf has heard a confession from someone, who can prove his accusations to be true.”

“And who is that?”

“Your personal servant, Rowan. They said he gave intimate information concerning you, the court sorcerer, the queen, and her protector, including your sleeping arrangements.”

“Fuck,” Arthur swore under his breath just before they all exchanged a look of horror.

End Bonus Chapter 40

A/N: Oh no, now they are really screwed! Rowan’s going to get it.

Also, I heard that Drumpf actually gave a good speech the other night, but I didn’t see it. I need some consistency, people!


	9. Camelot's Worst Threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin and Arthur are faced with Lord Drumpf's (true) accusation that Arthur's young son Thomas was actually fathered by Sir Lancelot, and is illegitimate to take the throne. And THEN, the worst actually happens.

Disclaimer: Arthur and Merlin are not mine. They belong to each other in my world. And possibly in a past life. Who knows?

A/N: Bomb threats have been called into my local synagogues and mosques, and the "us versus them" mentality is spreading. When does it end?

.~.

Bonus Chapter 41: Camelot's Worst Threat

.~.

The guard tried to slink out of the room, but Merlin had a feeling that he was holding something back.

"Stop!" Merlin commanded, his voice echoing in the throne room hall. He might've also used magic to increase it.

The guard halted in his tracks, then about-faced towards the court sorcerer. "Yes, my lord?" It was not often that Merlin used his commanding voice, but when he did it was effective.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Merlin prodded. "There's something you're not telling us. Something that Drumpf said?"

The guard gulped and swallowed hard. "Yes, but I can't speak it, my lord. It's treason."

"Tell us," Arthur ordered. "I promise, no harm will come to you." He gave the guard an encouraging nod.

Merlin and Gwen exchanged a nervous look. There were only a few topics that were still considered treasonous, as the rest had been abolished once Arthur inherited the throne from his tyrant of a father.

"W-well, Sire," the guard stammered, "Lord Drumpf is planning to issue a mini-proclamation stating that he believes that your young son Thomas – that is, the heir to the throne – was fathered by Sir Lancelot."

"WHAT?" Arthur roared, leaping to his feet as his face turned a bright shade of puce. His hands were clenched into fists, and his nostrils flared as the anger overtook his body.

"Arthur," Merlin sharply warned. This was one of Arthur's only tendencies to take after Uther, leaping to his feet and exploding when something struck a nerve.

At the beginning of his reign, Arthur had told Merlin to call him out if he ever demonstrated this behavior in public. The king never wanted to remind his subjects of the way Uther used to treat them. It had only happened a few times before this, but today Merlin couldn't fault Arthur for reacting the way he did. Merlin wanted to shout the same thing, but this time he had to be the calm one.

The warlock noticed Guinevere and Lancelot exchanging a guilty glance while he rushed over to calm his visibly shaking king. Merlin muttered a spell under his breath to relax Arthur, something he only resorted to in extreme circumstances. They could not afford for Arthur to lose it in front of the guard, who might believe that the accusation was true based on how the king reacted.

"I'm s-sorry, you ordered me to say it," the poor guard was quaking in his boots.

"It's not your fault," Guinevere said gently, having quickly recovered. "Tell no one of this. Swear it!"

"I swear it, your majesty," said the guard, his voice quivering in fear.

"Good. You may go." Gwen dismissed him.

The relieved guard ran out of the throne room as fast as his feet could carry him.

As soon as he left, Merlin sealed and soundproofed the door, so they could talk without fear of being discovered.

"How did they figure it out?" Gwen choked out as Lancelot pulled her into his arms. "Not even Rowan knows about that."

"I don't think they did," said Merlin. "I think it's just conjecture." Then his attentions returned to his king, who was still fighting his inner demons. "Arthur?" Merlin said cautiously, gently running his hands up and down the king's arms as an attempt to soothe him.

"How could Drumpf do this to us?" Arthur's voice was softer, but it still carried the same venom it'd had when he'd yelled at the guard.

"Let's look at this from Lord Drumpf's perspective," Merlin considered. "He's trying to think of anything he can say to bring down Camelot. What would be worse than implying that the heir to Camelot's throne is illegitimate? He must know that Lancelot and Guinevere were to be married before she married you. He extrapolated from the information he had, and made a correct assumption. However, I don't think he realizes he was right."

"We can't take any chances. Find the guard and wipe this from his memory," Arthur ordered.

"No!" Merlin looked scandalized. "Arthur Pendragon, you will not tell me to misuse my magic that way."

"Merlin, let me remind you who is the king," Arthur said, his voice low and unsteady. "Do not test me."

"Test you?!" Merlin cried, exasperated with his love. "It won't matter what the guard does," the sorcerer insisted. "Lord Drumpf will release the proclamation anyway, most likely within the next few days."

Arthur slumped in his seat. "You're right," he muttered, his head resting in his hands. "We can't stop it from happening."

"We must question Rowan," said Guinevere, remembering that their servant had been the one to sell them out. "I can't believe he would spill our secrets to an agent of Drumpf. I thought he respected us now."

"My guess is that he was threatened," said Merlin.

"But couldn't he have used his magic to protect himself?" Lance pointed out.

"Perhaps the threat wasn't about him. Maybe it was about someone he cared about," said Merlin. "I'm sure he must've had a good reason. Arthur?"

"I think now's a good time to reinstate beheading as a punishment for disloyalty to the crown," Arthur growled.

"Really? Then sign me up," Merlin said sarcastically. "I'm not feeling very loyal to the crown right now."

Arthur and Merlin's tempers flared between them, while Lance and Gwen worriedly looked on.

"I must remind you that even though Rowan confessed, the Mercians still don't have any proof he was telling the truth," said Merlin. He gave Arthur a pointed look.

"No matter what the reason, we can't overlook the boy's crime," said Arthur. "He must be jailed immediately, before his sentence is carried out."

"What sentence?" Merlin pressed with a frown.

"That is yet to be determined," said the king. "Merlin, you must locate him for me."

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "First, you have to promise me that you're not going to hurt him."

"That depends on him," Arthur growled. "It depends on why he confessed."

"He's just a boy," Merlin pleaded. "He has no family, Arthur, no one to care for him. I'm sure that whatever the reason he had for confessing was justifiable and-"

"Just because you're his teacher doesn't give you the right to defend what he did," said Arthur. "His confession has put us all in danger."

"He's right, Merlin," Gwen chimed in. "As much as I like Rowan, he did betray us. That cannot go unpunished."

"I agree," said Lancelot, siding with Gwen as always.

"He will not go unpunished," Merlin insisted. "I just want to understand his motives before we condemn him." The warlock directed his stony glare at Arthur. "Innocent until proven guilty. Isn't that the case under your rule?"

"This is different," Arthur argued. "This isn't just a minor dispute between us and our servant. It's a threat against the crown, and the safety of Camelot."

"He must've been threatened," Merlin repeated. "Or perhaps someone he cares about was. I know he wouldn't betray us for any other reason."

"That doesn't matter," Arthur said staunchly, crossing his arms as he ordered Merlin to do his bidding. "Find him – now."

Merlin hated when his love directed his 'King Arthur' voice at him. At this point, there was nothing Merlin could do to change the king's mind. The warlock had done all he could to plead for a lighter sentence for Rowan. Arthur was king, and Merlin must follow his orders, even if he strongly disagreed with them. The warlock looked deep within, connecting with Rowan's life force as he searched for his errant student. "He's hiding in an abandoned house in the lower town," said Merlin. "He knows that I will find him sooner than later."

"Have the guards bind him and bring him to us after today's the council meeting," Arthur instructed. "I need to clear my head. I'll be in the gardens." The king brushed past Merlin without a word. The warlock released the spells on the door, allowing Arthur to leave.

Merlin's shoulders slumped, and a defeated expression surfaced on his face as he tried to process what had just happened.

"He's not angry at you, Merlin," Gwen tried to reassure him as the warlock stared after Arthur's retreating form. "He's angry at Rowan and the situation he's put us in."

"Arthur is angry with me," said Merlin. "He thinks I'm too soft, too trusting."

"That's not always a bad thing," said Lance. "It is admirable to see the good in people, to give them the benefit of the doubt. But in this case, I think Arthur is right."

Merlin nodded, subdued by their circumstance. "Your opinion is noted. I need some time to think as well. Don't expect me back until the council meeting."

"Just steer clear of the gardens," Gwen advised.

"I may be trusting, but I'm not stupid," said Merlin. He gave them a wry smile before he vacated the room, leaving the couple alone together.

.~.

While Merlin and Arthur were stewing, Rowan was found and brought to the castle. He was shackled and thrown in the dungeons, to await questioning and his verdict.

.~.

Three hours later

Arthur and Merlin had plenty of time to clear their heads, but they had yet to make up. During the council meeting, it soon became obvious to the knights that Arthur and Merlin weren't speaking.

They were careful not say anything rude to each other, but Arthur never asked for Merlin's council like he usually did. Conversely, Merlin never gave it. Everyone could feel the tension in the room as the king and warlock coolly ignored each other.

For Merlin, the meeting was almost unbearable, as the distance grew between him and Arthur. There was no secretly reaching for each other's hands under the table. There was no arguing on the other's behalf. There was no carefully veiled statements alluding to a bedroom dalliance after the meeting was over. There was a great chasm dividing the usually unshakable duo, and Merlin despised it. Arthur was his other half, his soulmate. But the king was certainly not behaving like it. Merlin considered that he was just as much at fault for their argument, but quickly rejected that thought. He was not ready to concede so easily.

Then THE ISSUE came up, and Arthur couldn't stop the quiet rage rising within him. "We must address this accusation head on," said the king. "We must let our people – and the Mercians, for that matter – that such lies about my heir will not be tolerated."

"But sire, you just gave a speech yesterday," Geoffrey of Monmouth reminded him. "It would be highly irregular to give another speech so soon. Usually you wait weeks between speeches."

"Perhaps we don't make the threat the focus of the speech," Merlin offered. "The king could speak mainly about the new tax reduction and payment plan, which will go into effect at the end of the week. Let the people believe that is the reason behind the speech. Then, near the end, the king could allude to denouncing this rumor."

"Allude to it?" Arthur glared at Merlin, who kept his gaze carefully neutral. "I won't mince words. I have to address this situation head on! I will inform the people that anyone who spreads this rumor is committing treason, and will be dealt with harshly."

"Can you do so without losing your temper?" Merlin countered. "Because if you lose it, that action will only hurt us."

Arthur felt torn. He didn't know if he could address his citizens without his emotions bleeding through. If he couldn't control himself, it would be obvious that the king of Camelot was rattled by Lord Drumpf's threat. That was not an option Arthur was willing to risk.

He was about to voice this when there was a knock at the door. The guards quickly admitted their visitor. One of their spies had just returned from Mercia to report to the council.

"Good afternoon, your majesty," said the young woman, who was dressed in peasant garb. She was the daughter of Sir Bevedere, so she knew how to hold her own in a fight. She also had magic and had attended Merlin's school for a few months to strengthen her skills. She was the perfect candidate for a spy, and had the best mission success rate of all the king's agents of espionage.

"Report," Arthur commanded, motioning at her to come forward.

"Yes, Sire." The spy gave him a small bow. "I snuck into Drumpf's quarters and overheard a conversation between him and Lord Dannon, his warmongering advisor."

"Dannon? What about Lord Dense?" Arthur asked. "I thought he was Drumpf's right hand man."

"Word is he's being kept out of the loop," said the female spy.

"Interesting," Arthur mused. "What did you hear Dannon say to Drumpf?"

"They've be planning something major," said the spy. "The hate speech and minor hate crimes, that's just the beginning. Soon, they will direct an attack – most likely arson - on their own lower town and blame it on the magic users."

"So they can use the attack as a catalyst to go to war with anyone who welcomes or defends magic users," Arthur breathed, immediately understanding where this was going.

"How horrible," Guinevere gasped, taking Arthur's hand in her own. "Can't we do anything to stop this?"

"If we interfere, it will only make worse," Arthur said heavily.

"It's the oldest trick in the book," said Lancelot. He added under his breath, "it's certainly worked before."

Merlin remembered Morgana's vision, where he and Arthur were riding out to meet the Mercians and Lord Drumpf in battle, and prayed with all his might that it wouldn't come true.

"The only question is, will the underprivileged Mercians believe the trick," said Merlin. "If not, then Drumpf is done for. But if they do believe it, we must be prepared to go to war."

He exchanged a worried look with Arthur and knew that, with the possible looming threat of war, all was forgiven.

.~.

End Bonus Chapter

A/N: I think this chapter speaks for itself.


End file.
